Kulvir S. Bangarwa Professor Department of Forestry CCS Haryana Agricultural University Hisar , India

Transcription

1 Production Potential, Market fluctuations and Present Status of Exotic Poplar in India Kulvir S. Bangarwa Professor Department of Forestry CCS Haryana Agricultural University Hisar , India

2 If we continue to use the forests as at present, there will be no forests left by 2050 causing damage to environment and biodiversity. Forests have very low growing stock (65 m 3 per ha) and a mean annual increment is about 0.7 m 3 per ha. The condition of forest based industries is not healthy in India. Therefore, promotion of large-scale farm forestry/agroforestry plantations are essential. National Forest Policy (1988) also directed the wood based industrial units to meet their future raw material requirements through developing partnerships with farmers. Some progressive industrial units have promoted farm forestry/agroforestry plantations through: Supply of planting stock Technical extension services Buy-back arrangements With varying degree of success Short rotation tree species having faster growth, multiple uses and wider adaptability are desirable for agroforestry plantations.

3 Demand and Supply of Wood (in million cu.m.) Particulars Wood demand for domestic furniture, agriculture, industries Output from forests Output from plantations, (social and farm forestry Deficit The above table suggested the need of plantation forestry

4 Poplar (Populus deltoides) Poplar (Populus deltoides), a native tree of USA introduced in India around 1950, is widely grown in all over northern India as an agroforestry tree because of its desirable characters and multiple uses. Populus deltoides is widely grown on a rotation of 6-8 years. A well drained & irrigated, deep and fertile soil is suitable for poplar. One year old bare rooted saplings (4-5 m) are used for transplanting in January- February with a spacing of 8 x 3 m 2 or 7 x 3.5 m 2 or 6 x 4 m 2 or 5 x 4 m 2. Rows are to be planted in north-south direction to provide maximum sunlight to agricultural crops. G3, G48, L34, S7C15, Uday, Kranti and Bahar are superior clones of poplar. WSL 22, WSL 27, WSL 32, WSL 39, WSL-A26 and WSL-A49 are new clones. Commercial scale plantations of poplar have been expanding since the WIMCO sponsored Farm Forestry Project was launched in Maximum production potential of poplar plantation : 50 m 3 /ha/year Average potential of poplar plantation : m 3 /ha/year Deciduous nature of poplar allows agricultural crops to grow under poplar without much adversely affecting yield. Up to first two years, the returns obtained from sugarcane + poplar combination are maximum.

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6 Sugar cane with Poplar

7 Turmeric with Poplar

8 Fruit trees with Poplar

9 Turmeric and Fruit trees with Poplar

10 Wheat with Poplar

11 Third year onwards shade-loving crops like turmeric can be grown successfully. During the winter season wheat and during summer season fodder crops can be grown till its harvest. Poplar replaced Eucalyptus (with crash in prices) in nineties due to the following advantages: It has faster biomass growth. It is more compatible with agricultural crops. Its leaves get decomposed and help in maintaining soil nutrients. It was easily saleable and fetches better prices. It is easily propagated through cuttings. But poplar was no more popular among farmers during because the prices of their produce touching an all time low. Farmers were forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices anywhere between Rs.70 and Rs.155 as compared to Rs per quintal. Farmers were compelled for pre-mature felling of poplar. Sale price of 6-8 years old poplar tree with a girth of 1 m was lower down to about Rs per tree in Prior to crash in poplar sale price, 10 million trees were planted annually in 0.02 million hectares of lands with an average density of trees per ha.

12 After investing over six or seven years, farmers see their dreams coming apart.

13 Market of Poplar wood Poplar wood has four rates ( Rupees per quintal) depending on Girth. Average of 29 years Lowest ( 2004) Current year & highest ( 2008) Over (above 60 cm) Under (45-60 cm) Sokta (30-45 cm) Dandi (Below 30 cm)

14 Average wood biomass of a poplar tree with girth of 100 cm=700 Kg Over (above 60 cm) Under (45-60 cm) Sokta (30-45 cm) Dandi (Below 30 cm) 45 per cent 18 per cent 12 per cent 25 per cent

15 Year Over (above 60 cm) Under (45-60 cm) Sokta (30-45 cm) Dandi (Below 30 cm)

16 Price of wood (over 60 cm) in Rupees per quintal Price of wood in Rupees per q uintal 1980th 1986th 1992th 1998th 2004th Year Over (above 60 cm)

17 Wood price per quinal 1980th 19 83th 1986th 1989th 1992th 1995th 1998th 2001th 2004th 2007th Year Over (above 60 cm) Under (45-60 cm) Sokta (30-45 cm) Dandi (Below 30 cm) R u p e e s

18 AveragePrice of wood with varying girth Price in Rupees Over (above 60 cm) Under (45-60 cm) Girth Sokta (30-45 cm) Dandi (Below 30 cm) Series1

19 P rice in Rupees per quintal Price of wood in Rupees per quintal Over (above 60 cm) Under (45-60 cm) Sokta (30-45 cm) Girth classes Dandi (Below 30 cm) Average Highest Lowest

20 Poplar Poplar plantation plantation at at different different spacings spacings at at Research Research Farm Farm of of CCS CCS HAU, HAU, Hisar Hisar (Plantation: (Plantation: February February 2007) 2007) N 20 m 10 m 5 m M Paired row at 18 x 2 x 2 m C J F C J C J Single row at 10 x 2 m F C J C J F J C F Single row at 5 x 4 m J C F J C F J C F

21 Present status of Income from Exotic Poplar The tree attains a girth of 1 m at breast height (1.37 m) after an average age of 7 years and such a tree fetches an average of over Rs The net income from poplar plantation would be more than Rs.90, 000 per hectare per year (more than three times in comparison to crops alone). The income from crops grown in association with poplar is additional.

22 Wheat with Poplar Turmeric and Fruit trees with Poplar Turmeric with Poplar Thanks